Last Post 2025!

 

We got back from Mauritius on 17th December and busied ourselves getting our house decorated for Christmas.  A brief review is on my other blog *HERE*

Both sons had a virus over Christmas but we still managed to make the best of things - lots of good food in the form of roast dinner with turkey crown for the men, roast chestnuts for me.  We made tons of bubble and squeak  (ref for overseas bloggers this is left over roast potatoes and boiled brussel sprouts chopped and shaped into patties to fry for breakfast, freezable, a lot of people in the UK enjoy this as a way to use up roast dinner veggie leftovers).  We watched a lot of tv:  I laughed a lot watching Amandaland on BBC.  We  had too much food and too few people (due to illness, everyone we know seems to have this flu type virus), never-ending pre recorded tv programmes like Ted, Back to the Future and Fantastic Beasts that we had not previously had time to  catch up on .

On Christmas morning I went to our Baptist church.   We had a good sing song!  It was good to see old friends there too.  We sang the 12 days of Christmas, divided into groups we jumped up to sing our allocated verse and sat back down fast in between. There was a lot of laughter! Brief video of the moment below

We visited the allotment on Boxing Day and laid woodchip as a weed suppressant and mulch.  My plot neighbour was planting strawberries and gave me some - I gave him some of my pink garlic.  

 Over the  last few weeks  I went swimming  almost every other day and completed 50 lengths on some visits.  We are lucky to have an olympic size pool in our town, heated and, best of all, empty! only 3 people in there on average - no doubt it will be busier in the New Year with new memberships and the resolutions/good intentions of many!  

Currently watching a really good thriller,:  The Beast in Me on Netflix and just about to start reading  a new library book.

I was gifted this book from one of my brothers  - the gardener - its called Teaming with Microbes and is all about decomposing matter and generating micro-organisms to create the best organic soil.  I will continue to manage my plot the organic way, I have never needed pesticides on my plot, companion planting and coffee filter waste for slugs has been helpful.  Most unwanted pests get eaten by something bigger eventually and it all works out.

Im writing this post on New Years Eve. wishing everyone who I blog with a happy. Healthy New Year 2026.  

I decided not to make New Year resolutions other than to value every minute of life on this planet and not waste any opportunities for magic moments!

Merry Christmas 2025

 

With 3 friends from the allotment group. I went to a candlelit carol service at St Mary's, Church, Horne, a small village near me.  The church has been on this site since around the 12th century when there was a wooden structure.  It is a beautiful place and it felt spiritual and special.   I posted pictures here of their Armistice Day presentation recently.  The choir was excellent. Their conductor was a mum from my sons school days who always played piano at school concerts.  Her daughter  from my sons class was in the choir, I felt old remembering those days but also connected to this  little community!

I don't see myself as any particular faith these days, Ive settled for 'being spiritual' (a backsliding church member whilst my sons grew up and prior to that  a pagan upbringing makes it complicated).  So when I go to church I don't focus too much on the detail of the service these days, but more on what I feel.  The church had a lovely spiritual atmosphere.

At the allotments we had a social and  I made a large wreath to help with festive decorations.  We had mince pies, I brought marzipan/walnut stuffed dates but was the only one to eat them!!  I also brought my scrumped blackberry gin but everyone was supping mulled wine, so I have saved it for New Year celebrations.

My plot has a handful of leaks, parsnips and carrots, not sufficient for a big spread but will be great for soup.

I made a wreath for my own door and one for my youngest son and took it over to his house yesterday.  The roads are quiet and the woods feel as though waiting for something, heaving with holly berries, usually a sign of a hard Winter ahead.

I will put a link to my holiday blog soon as  we have just got back from 10 nights in  Mauritius, I haven't loaded the photographs up yet.

Yesterday I made the spare beds up for my sons  who will be staying over Christmas.  I thought it would be fun to do little trees and festive duvets!

After a long swim at the local gym Hubby took me to our local.pub.  We have been looking forward to a trip to 

the Jack Fairman, a Weatherpoons pub in our town, which reopened this week following refurbishment.  The carpet pattern echoes the original detail  of art deco tiling and windows in the upper part of the building.   Jack Fairman was a racing driver from this town.

I hope wherever you are you will be with family and friends, safe and enjoying this special time of year.  Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a peaceful  happy New Year.  Thank you for following my blog!!

Merry Solstice

 Wishing blogland friends a merry Solstice 2025.